Missed Manners

Play your cards right, and someday you'll look like this.

Periodically I'll go to an event's training run. Certainly not to establish World Dominance, but just to see who and what. This time we [yrs truly and my enigmatic unindicted co-conspirator "J"] ran the training loop backwards, to see some of the talent that had signed up for the upcoming race. My speed went off a cliff some time ago, and frankly, I'm past giving a shit. 

Here come the frontrunners. Oh boy! The gear, enthusiasm, fresh faces, and KOM FKTs blasting past you. You've got that GoPro Game Face you already imagine in a Thundering Ultra Movie About You. They hit the finish in record time, did the obligatory "aw shucks-gee whiz way-to-go-bro" moves, like in those movies, downloaded your Strokas by Cheezing the Garmin, and so on.

Then there are the dogged middle-packers, who seemed to be looking their first trail race in the face, going "holy shit, really?" Finally, there were several weary old-timers who were keeping a good pace, but not losing their breakfast on a t-run. Save that shit for race day.

And then the sweep, a volunteer who strips the ribbons, and hopefully doesn't have to shoot any stragglers. In summertime this is not pretty.

Now I'll pose some questions:

• Did you, Mr & Ms FrontRunner, thank the volunteers who flagged the course? Without them 99% of the Stroka Heroes would be hopelessly lost.
• Were you courteous to the other pedestrians etc you met? Thank them as you whistled by? Most of them are locals. 
• Do you let someone know you're coming up on them from behind [like "on your left/thanks!"] Or is that too much effort while you're redlining?

Trails are increasingly crowded. In the Angeles Crest front country more so. No need to add to the tension. Yes, there will be dicks. It can be problematic. But if you get in trouble, help may arrive sooner if you aren't a dick.

Something to suck on.